In the nutritional treatment of disturbances of carbohydrate metabolism, in particular Diabetes mellitus, the use of guar flour obtained from the fruits of the Indian bush bean is becoming of increasing importance. Due to the content of the hydrocolloid galactomannan, on intake of a preparation containing swollen guar flour a highly viscous thin film layer forms on the small intestinal mucosa, thereby reducing the absorption rate of nutrients. It is therefore possible by specific administration of preswollen guar flour before a meal to control and equalize the blood sugar level in the peak values of diabetically predisposed patients, cf. Lembcke, B. et al., "Hepato-gastroenterol", vol. 31, p. 183-186 (1984).
Apart from this effect, which can be explained mainly on the basis of its physical character, a number of further important nutritional physiological effects are known following the administration of guar flour, for instance inter alia a reduction of the cholesterol level in blood serum and inactivation of pancreatic amylase and thus reduced enzymatic attack on the carbohydrates of the food on passage through the intestines. As a thickening agent in the chyme it increases the viscosity and thus suppresses the appetite. It also regulates the intestinal peristalsis and thus has an excellent ballast function. Moreover, certain lipometabolic disturbances can be successfully treated with guar flour with a dosage of about 10-15 g daily.
Attempts to avoid the hitherto usual individual administrations of guar flour and the complicated preswelling thus necessary before each meal by making available a complete finished homogenized and sterilized tube and drink food already containing the hydrocolloid guar flour in addition to the necessary nutrient components have not so far met with any success. Although by adding the guar flour to a liquid nutrient mixture it was possible to reduce the absorption rate of the maltodextrin used here as carbohydrate source to such an extent that the glucose level dropped appreciably compared with a standard meal, it was found that in this previously made preparation the guar flour introduced agglomerated in storage after a relatively short time, i.e. after about 8-14 days to form relatively large agglomerates of about 3-5 mm diameter in the tube nutrient solutions, and even floated partially on the surface of the nutrient solution as a sort of cake. In the case of such drink solutions as well on storage gelatinous sago-like particles formed which then caused unpleasant feelings in the mouth on intake of the preparation. The agglomeration of the hydrocolloid in some cases reached an extent such that relatively large cohesive flat cakes were disposed in the nutrient solution which then could not be broken down even by intensive shaking of the bottle.
On attempts to achieve a stabilizing, to avoid the effects of the agglomeration described, by adding another additional hydrocolloid to the guar-flour-containing nutrient solution, it was found that even when using relatively high concentrations most known hydrocolloids did not lead to any improvement. Thus, although the addition of amidated pectin, apple pectin, carboxymethyl cellulose, furcellaran, carob seed flour, lambda-carrageen, methyl cellulose, rice flour, tragacanth gum and xanthene leads to a synergistically increased viscosity value of the preparation, it does not produce any stabilization of the guar flour. However, surprisingly a stabilization was achieved by adding sodium alginate and/or agar-agar.